Disy leader and House Speaker Annita Demetriou on Saturday called on the party faithful to let go of toxic attitudes, whispers and rhetoric that instead of healing recent rifts, only makes the wound bigger.
Demetriou was addressing Disy’s annual conference for the first time as the party’s leader and in the wake of the failure of its former leader Averof Neophytou to reach the second round of the presidential elections in February.
Neophytou, and former president, Nicos Anastasiades, also addressed the conference.
In her ‘soul-searching’ speech, Demetriou said: “Each and every one of us is required to let go of toxic attitudes, whispers, and rhetoric that instead of healing, makes the wound bigger.”
“Only together, united, can we overcome today’s difficulties. And collectively plan and move on to the next day. The country needs a strong Disy and that is not just a resounding slogan to caress our own ears,” she added.
Demetriou said every Disy member recognises the consequences of the undesirable outcome in the presidential election. “Not just the loss of power. But, above all, the discord, the trauma of the breakup and what followed,” she said, add that there had been situations and behaviours not at all worthy of the history and contribution of Disy and its leaders.
“When this conference is over, and the lights go out, leave your frustrations here. Your anger, bitterness and heartbreak,” she said, also urging participants to set aside their egos for the good of the party.
Despite the Disy government having introduced many beneficial policies, “nevertheless, citizens were hurt by attitudes and behaviours, by the mistakes and weaknesses of our government,” she added. “We didn’t lose to the big ones [parties] but to the small ones.”
Addressing the reasons for the recent rift – the candidacy of former Disy member and now President Nikos Christodoulides, Demetriou said the verdict of the election was clear and that was that the majority of the public had entrusted him with the responsibility of governing the country.
The reason, despite rumours to the contrary, as to why Disy would remain in opposition, was because any government not controlled by a strong and serious opposition “develops tendencies of authoritarianism, nepotism and corruption”, she said.
“President Nikos Christodoulides, pre-election, set very high expectations for himself and his government. It is not my purpose today to engage in an assessment of the first two months of this administration. We will give the new government, in good faith, the opportunity and time it deserves but we expect them to understand that the country needs more substantive governance and less communication management,” Demetriou said.
She also warned, in a swipe at the new president’s plan to involve the EU more intensely in the Cyprus issue that “it will not be acceptable to use the European Union as an alibi for further inaction or as a pretext for perpetuating the occupation”.
“It will not be acceptable to try, or give the impression that we are trying, to downplay the primary role of the UN in the Cyprus resolution process or to escape from the framework that has been agreed upon,” she added.
Demetriou said the country needs a strong Disy now more than ever, saying the party was the most modern political force in the country. “Only together, united, can we overcome today’s difficulties, and collectively plan and move on to the next day,” she said.
She added that the party would need hard work, determination, and courage to become a leading force in politics again.
“The message here, at least to me, is clear. We must lead by example. No arrogant behaviour can be allowed, first and foremost by myself and then the rest of our leadership and executives,” she said. “Only if the party proceeds with humility and responsibility will it win back the hearts of our fellow citizens.”
Meanwhile, Neophytou said he had acknowledged that he personally had made mistakes “and I paid, and we paid for them”, he said.
“But now, the party must look ahead. Electoral defeat is like fertiliser. It smells bad, but it’s ultimately good,” he said.